1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of products comprising fabric pieces and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for forming and maintaining a desired configuration in a fabric piece such as a pocket during manufacture of a product comprising the fabric such as a garment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Manufacture of products comprising fabric pieces usually requires that one or more fabric pieces of which the product is composed be formed and maintained in a particular configuration while the product is being manufactured. For example, in the manufacture of garments, it is often necessary to fold and/or crease separate fabric pieces such as blanks for pockets, facings, cuffs, yokes, etc., prior to securing the piece to the garment itself. Since the fabric pieces will ultimately be secured to the garment in their folded or creased configuration and thereafter so maintained by permanent securing means such as stitching or permanent-type adhesives, it is only necessary to maintain these pieces in their folded or creased configuration up to the time that they are permanently secured to the garment. It is known to temporarily configure these fabric pieces by the simultaneous application of steam and pressure and through the use of shaping overlays such as paper.
However, heretofore, use of such overlays has required separate processing steps to insert and remove the overlays. Typically, such overlays have constituted crude or unfinished paper forms such as newspaper, which has accordingly required that stocks or inventories of such paper, e.g., newspaper, of desired shape and size be prepared and kept on the processing premises for use as a source of such overlays.
This has led to the adoption of processes that use adhesives, in combination with pressure, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,424, in lieu of the more conventional steam or heat and pressure processes and apparatus. However, use of adhesives introduces matters of additional complexity, as well as increased costs of materials; for example, use of adhesives involves materials handling problems with dangerous and/or flammible chemicals which, when employed, usually result in emission of noxious odors and/or fumes which have to be removed by proper air conditioning or ventilation systems, operated in compliance with federal and/or state environmental statutes and regulations. Additionally, process operators and their employees or representatives do not usually like to work with chemicals. Hence, the present art with which this invention is concerned is still looking for a new means by which to return to the utilization of apparatus and methods for forming and maintaining a desired configuration in a fabric piece during manufacture of a garment comprising the fabric by simultaneous application of steam or heat, preferably heat, and pressure. The present invention is believed to fill this void in that it eliminates or otherwise avoids the problems associated with processes that use adhesives (by not using such adhesives) while, at the same time, obviating the difficulties and drawbacks associated with past steam-and-pressure processes. In addition, new and additional advantages are realized with practice of the present invention.